Safety
Car-selling scams in the Netherlands: 12 tricks and how to spot them
Key takeaways
- A payment is only real once the money shows in your own banking app; a buyer's screenshots and payment links prove nothing.
- Never pay upfront for transport, insurance or a deposit, and never refund an ‘overpaid’ amount yourself.
- Hand over the registration card and the tenaamstellingscode only at handover, after receiving the full amount.
- As a buyer, check the RDW odometer verdict and always view the car in person.
- Scammed? Call your bank immediately, report it to the police and to the Fraudehelpdesk.
Which scams should you know about when selling or buying a car?
Car-sale fraud nearly always comes down to three things: money that never really arrives, documents handed over too early, and a car that is not what it seems. The twelve tricks below are widely documented, including by the RDW (the Dutch vehicle authority) and AutoScout24. Unsure about a message? Try the scam checker.
| # | Trick | Warning sign | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fake proof of payment | Screenshot or ‘scheduled’ transfer | Wait until the money is in your own account |
| 2 | Overpayment | Buyer asks for the difference back | Refund nothing, call your bank |
| 3 | Transport agent | You must pay fees upfront | Never pay upfront, cut contact |
| 4 | Buyer abroad | Can't come, sends a go-between | Only settle in person |
| 5 | Test-drive theft | Wants to drive alone, in a hurry | Ride along, keep the key |
| 6 | RDW phishing | Link to an ‘RDW’ or payment page | Go to rdw.nl yourself |
| 7 | Fake payment platforms | ‘Safe payment’ site or payment link | Plain bank transfer |
| 8 | Rolled-back odometer | Mileage doesn't match wear or history | Check the RDW odometer verdict |
| 9 | Cloned listing | Low price, seller unreachable | View the car, check the plate |
| 10 | Deposit fraud | Deposit before viewing | Pay only at handover |
| 11 | Counterfeit cash | Large cash sum, time pressure | Feel, look, tilt |
| 12 | Code before payment | Buyer wants the code ‘to check’ | Code only after you're paid |
How do you spot a fake payment?
A payment is only real once the money shows in your own account, in your own banking app. A screenshot, an email ‘from the bank’ or a payment link from the buyer proves nothing. Hand over keys, registration card and code only after you have checked the amount yourself.
1. Fake proof of payment
The buyer shows a screenshot of a transfer, or of a payment marked as ‘scheduled’. After they leave, the payment turns out to be cancelled or the image edited. AutoScout24's advice: do not trust a screenshot or the buyer's banking-app screen.
2. Overpayment and refund
The buyer pays more than agreed and asks you to refund the difference. The original payment is later reversed or was never real. Refuse, and contact your bank rather than sending anything back yourself.
7. Fake payment platforms and links
You receive a link to a ‘safe payment’ service or a page where you can ‘collect your money’ by logging in or paying a small fee. You never need to log in or pay to receive money. Don't click such links.
11. Counterfeit cash
Cash is allowed between private individuals, but large amounts are risky. A counterfeit note is worthless, warns De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), the Dutch central bank. Check notes with ‘feel, look, tilt’ and prefer a bank transfer. Since 1 January 2026, dealers may not accept €3,000 or more in cash under the cash ban.
What tricks do so-called buyers from abroad use?
A buyer who cannot view the car but wants to buy it straight away is a red flag. Usually a ‘transport company’ or ‘agent’ follows, asking you to pay fees or collect the car before any money arrives. Only sell to someone you meet in person and who pays first.
3. The transport agent
The buyer says they will send a shipping company. You have to pay transport, insurance or admin fees first, which will be ‘added to the purchase price’. You will never see that money again. AutoScout24: pay nothing, share no personal details and end the contact.
4. The buyer abroad with a go-between
The buyer claims to be working at sea or abroad and sends a friend or driver. Payment ‘will follow’ or runs through a foreign service. The goal is to get the car before the money is real. Hand over only after receiving the full amount. If you are selling because you are leaving the Netherlands, start early: time pressure makes you an easier target.
Why should you share the registration code only after payment?
With the kentekencard (registration card) and the full tenaamstellingscode (registration code), the car can be put in someone else's name. According to the RDW, you give both to the buyer at handover. Anyone asking for the code earlier, ‘to check’ or ‘for the insurance’, does not need it.
6. Phishing with plate and RDW details
You get a message linking to a site that looks like the RDW's, or to a ‘licence plate check’ asking for the code, your DigiD (the Dutch government login) or bank details. The RDW has warned before about copycat sites that charge for documents. Always type rdw.nl yourself and never log in via a link in a message.
12. The code before payment
A ‘buyer’ asks for a photo of the registration card or the code, supposedly to verify you own the car. The code isn't needed for that: anyone can check a licence plate. Share the code only once the money is in, and do the transfer together straight away. Follow our ownership transfer guide.
How do you prevent theft during a test drive?
Never let a stranger take a test drive alone. Ride along, ask to see a valid driving licence and keep hold of the key whenever the car is stationary. Meet somewhere with other people around, and bring a friend if you can.
5. Theft or key swap during the test drive
A scammer drives off and doesn't return, or quietly swaps the key so they can collect the car later. Watch for haste, for someone focused on the keys and for a buyer who won't show ID. Don't put the key on the roof or dashboard while you talk.
What should buyers watch out for?
As a buyer, the main risks are a rolled-back odometer, a copied listing and a request to pay upfront. The RDW puts it simply: don't let anyone rush you, don't pay in advance and certainly not in cash. If it seems too good to be true, be extra careful.
8. Rolled-back odometer
The odometer has been turned back to make the car look more valuable. Use the licence plate to check the RDW tellerstandoordeel (odometer verdict): logical, illogical or no verdict. Illogical means an earlier recorded reading was higher. Compare the reading with service invoices and APK reports too.
9. Cloned listing
Scammers copy photos and text from a real ad and list the car at a low price. The ‘seller’ can only be reached by email or is abroad. Run a reverse image search on the photos, call the seller and view the car in person.
10. Deposit fraud
The seller asks for a deposit ‘because there's so much interest’, before you have seen the car. After payment they disappear. Pay only at handover, after a viewing and a check of the papers.
What should you do if you have been scammed?
Call your bank immediately: the faster you act, the better the chance a payment can still be stopped. Then report it to the police, to the Fraudehelpdesk (the Dutch fraud helpline) and to the platform where you advertised. If you shared the registration code, contact the RDW as well.
Keep all messages, names, account numbers and screenshots. Check in MijnRDW or with the licence plate check whether the car is still registered to you. The more complete your file, the better your bank and the police can help.
Frequently asked questions
Is a screenshot of a bank transfer enough proof?
No. A screenshot or the buyer's banking-app screen proves nothing: it can be edited or show a scheduled payment that is later cancelled. Hand over the car, keys, registration card and registration code only once you have seen the amount in your own banking app with your own eyes.
Can a private buyer pay for a car in cash?
Yes. The ban on cash payments of €3,000 or more, in force since 1 January 2026, applies only to traders such as car dealers, not between private individuals. Cash is still risky, because a counterfeit note is worthless. Check notes with feel, look, tilt, or better, agree on a bank transfer you verify on the spot.
When do I give the buyer the registration code?
Only at handover, once the full amount is in your account. With the registration card and the full code, the car can be transferred. Nobody needs the code to check that the car is yours. Ideally do the transfer together with the buyer right away, and keep the vrijwaringsbewijs, the RDW proof of transfer.
How do I check whether the mileage is genuine?
With the RDW odometer verdict. The free licence plate check shows whether the series of readings is logical, illogical or has no verdict. Illogical means an earlier recorded reading was higher. Also compare the reading with service invoices and APK reports, and book a pre-purchase inspection if you have any doubt.
What should I do if I have sent money to a scammer?
Call your bank straight away. The sooner you call, the better the chance the payment can still be stopped. Then report it to the police, the Fraudehelpdesk and the platform where you found the car. Keep every message, name and account number as evidence, because your bank and the police will ask for them.
Can I refuse a test drive?
Yes. You are not obliged to let a stranger test-drive your car. If you do allow it, always ride along, ask to see a valid driving licence and keep the key whenever the car is stationary. If someone refuses those conditions, that is a clear signal to end the appointment.
Sources
- RDW – Tips bij aankoop van een voertuig
- RDW – Een voertuig verkopen
- RDW – Kilometerstand controleren
- AutoScout24 – Tips om fraude te voorkomen bij het kopen of verkopen van een auto
- De Nederlandsche Bank – Valse biljetten herkennen en laten onderzoeken
- FIU-Nederland – Verbod op contante betalingen van €3.000 of meer
- Fraudehelpdesk – Fraude melden
- Radar – Vraag autopapieren aan bij RDW en niet bij namaaksites
Written by
Redactie Sell Your Car · Editorial team
Our editors write about buying, selling and the rules around used cars in the Netherlands. We check amounts and rules at the source: RDW, Belastingdienst, RVO, BOVAG and ANWB.
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